Socks

ABSTRACT

The modified sock can be used by hikers, campers and other individuals who enjoy the outdoors but want to maintain dry, clean socks. A hole or holes is placed in the top portion of the sock so that the person can air out the sock by simply attaching the socks to a backpack during outdoor activities. The hole will have a grommet that will be reinforced to withstand the washing and general wear and tear that is placed on a sock and still maintain its general shape and function.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A. Field of the Invention

This device provides a hole in the upper portion of a sock. This type ofmodified sock will be used by the outdoorsman or outdoorswoman duringhiking or camping. After a person has hiked or camped in a sock the sockwill become soiled and sweaty. This will lead to a wetness and/or anodor problem in many cases. When a person is camping or hiking it isimportant to have a pair of clean, dry socks. The camper or hiker canhang this sock from a backpack or other piece of outdoor gear to air outand dry the sock in order to maintain a pair of clean, dry socks.

B. Prior Art

There are many prior art references to socks or footwear. Arepresentative example of this type of device can be found at ChristyU.S. Pat. No. 5,579,541. The Christy reference teaches a pair of sockswith tabs but not openings in the socks themselves. This reference isdifferent than the application in this case.

There are other references to socks regarding the ability to join twosocks together but this application does not teach the ability to joinsocks and are therefore irrelevant to this application.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This is a sock with a hole in the top portion of the sock on both sidesof the sock. This is a hole that will be reinforced with a grommet andthe grommet may consist of metal, plastic or some other suitable rigidmaterial. Regardless of the choice of material the material should beable to withstand all environmental conditions.

Although one sock can be worn, it is anticipated that the socks will beworn as a pair.

When the socks are not in use, the socks can be put on a hook byinserting the hook through the grommet. This will enable the person toeasily transport the pair of socks on the back of a backpack or someother carrier and allow the sock to air out and dry. It is anticipatedthat this pair of socks will be used by the outdoorsman oroutdoorswoman.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the sock depicting a hole on each side ofthe sock that is reinforced in the top portion of the sock.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the sock.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the sock.

NUMBERING DESCRIPTION

1 Sock

5 Hole

10 Grommet

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The sock 1 has been worn for eons to protect a person's foot and providesome comfort to the person when the person is wearing shoes; typicallythey are worn as a pair. All socks bear the same general appearance andare meant to be work and then washed and then worn again. The personinserts his or her foot into an opening in the top of the sock and thefoot of the person will extend to the are of the toes. This device is amodification of the traditional sock.

The sock 1 in this application will have the same basic shape of thetraditional sock but will have an opening or pair of openings or holes 5near the top portion of the sock such as depicted in FIG. 1. Eachopening will be reinforced by a grommet 10, which may be comprised ofmetal, rubber, hard plastic or some other choice of material. Regardlessof the choice of material from the grommet, it should be made from adurable material that will be able to withstand numerous washings andthe general wear and tear that is placed on the sock in additional towetness and dampness.

Because there is an opening in the top portion of the sock this openingwill be reinforced to prevent the grommet from being ripped from thesock. This reinforcement may be additional threading around the openingas an example. Other means to reinforce the opening are alsocontemplated.

While the embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, certainmodifications may be made by those skilled in the art to modify theinvention without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The inventor claims:
 1. A sock which is comprised of: an opening; saidopening is proximate to the opening of the sock; a grommet; wherein thegrommet is a predetermined shape and size; wherein the grommet isconstructed from durable material; wherein the area around the grommetis reinforced.
 2. The sock as described in claim 1 wherein the grommetis made from hard plastic.
 3. The sock as described in claim 1 whereinthe grommet is made from rubber.
 4. The sock as described in claim 1wherein the grommet is made from metal.